Wheeling Ideas

[CREACHR]

My girlfriend's son's birthday is this weekend, and she asked if we could go hit some "trails" in Wisconsin to give him somthing to look forward to. She is a native Wisconsinite and I don't have the heart to tell her there really isn't much opportunity in our wonderful state to wheel full size vehicles.

I'm taking her and both our kids to CO next month to show her the ropes, but I think it would be wonderful to take her out for some mild runs locally if I could just find an opportunity to do some moderate wheeling.

Anyone have some suggestions on where I could go have some fun this weekend? We are willing to travel up to the Nicolet and Northwoods from the Portage area in south/central area or similar drive of 3 to 3 1/2 hours max.

My Lexy doesn't have any armor on her yet, so not looking for any hardcore stuff. Just looking for some ideas from fellow Cruiserheads.

 

[woody]

I honestly haven't wheeled in this state in...mmm...years? The Pipeline trails may still be open, Lakewood area. Otherwise, forest roads are about it...

 

[CREACHR]

Sad quite honestly. I'm looking at WOHVA for some opportunities Hank. All I'm seeing is trail maintance opportunities. Not saying I'm against chipping in to keep Mole Lake trails looking good, but I'm going to be with the girlfriend and a her 2 boys... Anyway, I can't make it up there until later on Saturday/early Sunday if we go out. Haven't looked into 3Lakes Club to see what they have down this way. Anyone know any of their members? Not opposed to joining a local club if it means I get to use some trails.

 

[Hank]

No recreational wheeling happening in WOHVA right now. Main focus is developing more sustainable trails to add to our Mole Lake inventory for Jeep Jamboree USA. Pipeline is open if that is your thing. Keep in mind that the Chequamagon-Nicolet National Forest is closed unless posted open per policy. That said there are still some nice gravel or slightly less maintained roads to adventure on for a picnic or so. If you are up for the drive there is still quite a bit of fun to be had in the UP. They have a similar forest policy but county land is quite available and less maintained roads are more common.
Sorry, not much help. Besides Mole Lake and Pipeline Maintenance I have not wheeled in WI besides private land in three years.

I'm thinking a pontoon boat would be a better investment than my current mods on the 62. Such is life.

 

[CREACHR]

I joined WOHVA in May. I haven't received a mailing or anything. Is this organization primarly just a way to get access to Mole Lake, or are we about off roading throughout the state? No disrespect intended, just asking from someone that wants to know if there is/will be any wheeling opportunities in Wisconsin.

I suppose an ATV might be my best bet in WI, but like you said Hank, I think I need to invest in a party boat.

I know that Mccastlin shut down, is there any other available places?

 

[Hank]

WOHVA is much more then Mole Lake however as you have guessed, that and the pipeline are the only real wheeling available to us right now. We did receive a grant which I wil be administering for an access road to the Pipeline Corridor. This work will be completed this fall. The goal of the road is to be able to get the heavy equipment in to perform the much needed erosion correction and abatement that has suffered in the last 8 years. Once that road is in and the grant complete we are in line for a much larger grant in the six figure area to attempt to make the Pipeline first and foremost an access road for the NFS and Trans Canada Gas Co. After that challenge areas are on the plan. This second grant is not secured or guaranteed so speculation is rampant. We have been working closely with Forest County and the DNR on all levels (local agents to Madison) as well as the group formed in Forest County that wishes to open a Motorized Recreation Area. Unfortunately motivation is weak within the group of interested parties and we have often found ourselves starting at square one. Working with the DNR has been fine. There is pressure however to use a county closer to the population center of the state. This has bounced the project status all over the map.

I encourage you to read the "projects" links on the left hand including AB600, the OHV sticker program, the Pipeline Grant, etc. Also, log in to the forum and read the WOHVA NEWS monthly updates.
Dave, what is your last name again? I'll check on your membership status asap.

Thanks for asking!

Fire away with any other questions you may have. If I don't have the answer I'll make something up, no wait.. I'll find it!

 

[alstaz]

The Cliffs

While it isn't in WI, The Cliffs insane terrain is close to your driving distance limit. Cliffs Insane Terrain. Also the 5th annual Toyota Jamboree will be there in a couple weeks.

Just a thought.

 

[woody]

We did receive a grant which I wil be administering for an access road to the Pipeline Corridor. This work will be completed this fall. The goal of the road is to be able to get the heavy equipment in to perform the much needed erosion correction and abatement that has suffered in the last 8 years.

I administered the initial phases of a Pipeline grant back in the 90's...I had to exit the process about 1/2 way thru due to job changes. I killed nearly two years of vacation time on the project.

I went up for a work weekend towards the end of that grant process..in a fairly new 1997 Honda Civic 4-door...I did rub bottom once...

If WOHVA wants the process to succeed, then finding a few members with FULLTIME availability is a must. People with lives and vacation time will make the project useless. It's frustrating enough that the Forest Service changes people constantly, having additional change on the WOHVA side will make it far worse.

The sucky part is that the Forest Service gets paid to do this stuff, and the enviro's either are retired with nothing better to do or getting college credits for saving the life of another !@#$@# mosquito...

 

[Hank]

I believe I was there for the Civic ride. Your words are very true, fortunately I am not planning on doing everything for the grant. I will be the go to with a team of seven on the ground in various capacities. To do it myself would be impossible. The core WOHVA has not changed in 5 years and we do have two full time folks that do not 'work' or have lives or plans or kids at home, etc. We are trying to recall every obstacle that W4WDA faced back then and your input is very much appreciated. I hope I can count on you as I go through the process. We purposely waited a year to get approval (now it has been two due to the Obama funds freeze) since we knew Harv was leaving and we would have to start over with new Foresters. We are at the start of the tenure of the two on the ground in the Nicolet. That is an advantage but as you know they can be moved at any time. I won't discuss the huggers, they should be off the map on this one since the EA is done and the grant has been awarded for two years. Just waiting on the funds to be released.

It is unfortunate that the grant is basically for paving with out asphalt. The actual Pipeline does have to be protected. With any luck we can get over that hump and get some obstacle areas that are sustainable while allowing the Civic (or forest service) to cruise on Sunday afternoon. That is a long way off. For all I know they could use us for the access road, pave the damn thing and shut it down forever. Anything is possible. Another potential hitch is the Gas company lease is up in 2012. With that being re-written who knows what will happen.

WOHVA is @ a Catch 22, if we don't work to save the only legal wheeling in WI we are bad people, if we work to save it and it ends up paved or closed anyway, we are still bad guys. If we get a sticker program going that allows funds to get a MRA started, then we are bad guys for charging money. If we get an MRA it will be managed and enforced and drunken mud whumping can't happen and we will be bad guys anyway. We have chosen the high road. Pursue an MRA, save the 'Line, pursue the sticker program. Our numbers aren't great, our support in Madison is good but could be better with more voting membership and more letter writing and hand shaking.

GNTR and JJUSA trail work takes up EVERY weekend of the summer, only 1 in 3 weekends is back breaking work and the Mole Lake terrain is a blast. This is a HUGE commitment. The opportunity exists to wheel every weekend. To my knowledge it is the only commitment in WI to furthering organized four wheel drive. Many dislike our pursuits because the land isn't open with out guided rides. With our insurance and our MOU with the Tribe, that is the only way at this time.

 

[CREACHR]

Complete crap when I have to consider going to IL to do some frickin wheeling. Woody, no wonder you globe trot. So we all head out of state to pursue a passion we have.
This state is one of stark contrasts. No wonder we lead the country in the number of drunks per capita. Hell after reading Hank's last post I need another. We allow hippies to break the windows out of our capital building so they can get inside and stink up the building with their showerless bodies, but we don't allow access to public lands for recreational use. Hell there was probably less tickets/fines issued in Madison during those protests than there was last weekend in Nicolet for misuse.
Hank, I'm completely on your side as I understand politics and processes. We have a tremendous uphill battle that may never be won. I'll help any way I can. As Woody states, anyone with a full time job and/or kids will be limited in how they can help. Tons of time needed.
The one equalizer has always been funding. It is too bad that we are the home to Harley and not Jeep or Warn. Need funding to be a player as a PAC in Madison.

 

[Hank]

You are correct. Funding = Voice. We need more people on the ground in Forest County. Everytime I go up there whether for recreation, work, racing, etc. I have rounds. People need to know that WOVHA is up there spending money and time. The biggest attraction the OHV community holds is the massive amount of money we drop. If the gas stations, chamber of commerce, golf courses, restraunts, taverns, repair shops, camp grounds, casinos, etc don't know that we are up there for they can't understand our economic impact. The people that understand our impact are on our side for an MRA. Sen Holperin and Rep Mursau are also from the Northwoods and have co-sponsored AB600 and are working side by side with us on the sticker program legislation. They are excellent advocates. Rep Mursau is a regular fixture at all of our events and has ridden along on work days, event rides and spoken at all of our annual meetings. He is an OHV advocate, ATV user and BTW sponsored the CCW legislation that is to be signed by Gov Walker today.

The situation is grim but we have to move forward so Cliffs, the Iron Range and Attica aren't the only options for WI OHV enthusiasts.

With Woody's blessing I would be happy to cross post updates from WOHVA.COM here. I would prefer all of you to become active members in WOHVA and at least read the site we have developed. Thank you for all the questions and feel free to ask more.

As much fun as a Pontoon is, I'm not ready to give up on the dream of a family weekend camping on the trail in WI.

 

[woody]

With Woody's blessing I would be happy to cross post updates from WOHVA.COM here. I would prefer all of you to become active members in WOHVA and at least read the site we have developed. Thank you for all the questions and feel free to ask more.

As much fun as a Pontoon is, I'm not ready to give up on the dream of a family weekend camping on the trail in WI.

There are campgrounds on the Wolf River...and we've been considering a pontoon for a while

Good idea to start WOHVA updates...honestly, from an SEO opportunity, they'll get more Google traffic from here than anywhere else

 

[CREACHR]

So back to my original topic.... guess we will be utilizing ATV's on private land this weekend. Lexy will have to wait to the real deal in Colorado in a couple of weeks.

 

[poster1]

Where are you headed in CO? We took our 93 out for 2 weeks in Colorado and Utah last September. We started in Rocky Mountain NP then Vail, Ouray, Moab, and Salt Lake.

The Telluride/Ouray area was great. I could easily have spent a few more days there. The trails we chose were not too difficult, but the scenery was amazing. Moab was a blast as usual. Here are some pics:

 

[CREACHR]

We camp in the upper Taylor River Valley. Upstream from Taylor Res. We'll do some trails in that area (snow permitting). Fishing and scenery are our draws. It is pretty remote place, and I've been going there since high school.

We'll likely make it to Ouray and back through the Sandre de Cristos where my buddy has a cabin near Mt. Blanca. Will be trying to stay off road as much as the kids can stand.

 

[NitrousEdge]

So back to my original topic.... guess we will be utilizing ATV's on private land this weekend. Lexy will have to wait to the real deal in Colorado in a couple of weeks.

Sorry to come to the topic late, hope you had a good weekend.

I am new the the 4 wheeling game, but I have spent a fair amount of time on my atv in the C-N National Forest, lots of fun trails up there. The funny thing is that when I think of full size wheeling around here I automatically think of the UP - there is a lot amount of opportunities up there.